Somalia Famine
GG "Famine is not just about images of skeletal children gasping for their last breath of air as their mothers gaze into nothingness in the sun baked landscape. It is also a military and political weapon."Mariam, Alemayehu. "Meles Zenawi and the Weaponization of Famine." Ethiomedia, August 8, 2011. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.ethiomedia.com/andnen/2776.html. Although Alemayehu Mariam was speaking to conditions in Ethiopia, this comment perfectly reflects the 2011 famine in Somalia. The starvation and death of thousands''' of Somalians, disproportionately children, can be traced back not only to environmental factors but also political conflict. '''Political Unrest Somalia was formed in 1960, by the union of Italian territory and British territory. Land disputes were always an issue, Britain and Italy fighting for one another's land, while the Somalians vied for Somali occupied lands in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya. BBC. "Somalia Profile." BBC.com. Last modified December 3, 2014. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14094503. When Somalia's leader of twenty-two years, Muhammad Siad Barre, was ousted in 1991, the power vacuum he left led clan warlords to fight over power.This struggle continued for years, as governments failed, warlords gained and lost support and the U.N was forced to withdraw from the fringe. In 2006 Islamic militias added their infighting to the struggle for power. This continued on for the years leading up to the 2011 famine, no government was strong enough to fully quell the forces, Islamic militias and warlords, working against it. 'Famine' Environmental Factors In Somalia the climate is hot and humid."Somalia." In CIA- The World Factbook. Accessed February 24, 2015. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html. Much of the land is desert, and the rain is irregular. This coupled with the La Nina phenomenon(cooling of ocean waters, which affects rainfall and weather in many countries) makes drought a reoccuring problem. In 2010 the harvest was meager, only twenty percent of the average. So when the rains came late in 2011 it reduced the amount of available food even furthur. The lack of vegetation, as shown in the diagram from NASA also impacted the pastures and decreased the amount of livestock. It was described well by an article in The Economist "Rivers and boreholes are running dry, crops failing, traditional grazing land turning to dust. Up to 60% of cattle and goat herds, the main assets for many of the worst-affected people, have perished, their corpses and skeletons littering the plains.""International: Once More Unto the Abyss; Hunger in the Horn of Africa." The Economist 400, no. 8741 (Jul 09, 2011): 44-n/a. http://search.proquest.com/docview/875710963?accountid=36348. Herders are fighting amongst themselves for grazing rights to areas, that are quickly disappearing. About 220,000 cattle have already died in the Bornea Zone."Drought in Horn of Africa Threatens Millions / Herders and Farmers in Need of Urgent Support." African Press Organisation.Database of Press Releases Related to Africa, Jun 14, 2011. http://search.proquest.com/docview/871533431?accountid=36348. Human Factors The prices of food in Somalia increased around the same time. Some food prices increased by 240%. like one of the main components of the Somalian diet Sorghum. People hoarded what little food they could get, exacerbating the process even further. Those who could not hoard suffered the most, hence the worst casualties coming from the poorest regions of Somalia. Somalia's history of political instability, left the government at the time unable to help. They had very little sway outside of the capital city Mogadishu, leaving them unable to combat the rising influence of Al-Shabab and widespread famine.Nelson, Cassandra. "SOMALIA: FAMINE'S YOUNGEST VICTIMS." Junior Scholastic 114, no. 7 (Dec 12, 2011): 10-15,T4. http://search.proquest.com/docview/912305322?accountid=36348. Al-Shabab Al-Shabab compounded the problems that Somalia was having due to drought. They stole water from villagers, and sold it to farmers for a profit.Gettleman, Jeffrey. "Somalis Waste Away as Insurgents Block Escape From Famine." The New York Times (New York, NY), August 1, 2011. Accessed February 25, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/02/world/africa/02somalia.html. Somalia had been receiving foreign aid and food due to the bad crops in 2010 and a inpouring of people into cities, fleeing the conflict between militias. Al-Shabab in an effort to solidify their control of Somalia, threatened to kill UN's World Food Programme workers and forcing them to leave. They closely monitored their areas of Somalia, threatening to kill any civilian who left, and forcibly removing refugees and placing them in their own overcrowded camps. Even as the threat of famine grew stronger Al-Shabab refused to let foreign aid into their territories."Somalia: As Drought Unfolds, Rebels Block Food Aid." New York Times. Last modified January 28, 2011. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/29/world/africa/29briefs-Somalia.html. They also banned immunizations, believing them to be harmful to Somali children, which made them susceptible to diseases, preventable diseases when in overcrowded camps and hospitals. Hicks, Tyler. "Famine in Somalia." New York Times. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/08/03/world/africa/ Somalia-Famine-Index.html. That is why some of the worst affected areas were in Al-Shabab's territories. Aid Attempts In July of 2011 the UN declared that there was in fact famine in certain regions of Somalia. One in four southern Somali children were malnourished and one in three Somalis were in desperate nee of aid. Some factions of Al-Shabab finally allowed them to distribute food aid, which was to some areas the first aid they received in five years. There were still problems though. The first being the the military activity in Somalia. Jeffrey Gettleman, reporter for the New York Times describes Somalia as "one of the most inaccessible countries on earth." He adds "Somalia, especially the southern third where the famine is, has been considered a no-go zone for years, a lawless caldron that has claimed the lives of dozens of aid workers, peacekeepers and American soldiers" Despite the severity of the famine, aid groups are reluctant to bring their employees to areas where there is little government infrastructure, and different political and religious factions are constantly at war. The second major problem is the siphoning of aid by both government troops and contractors from the aid groups themselves.Gettleman, Jeffrey. "U.N. Officials Say Famine Is Widening in Somalia." New York Times (New York, NY), September 5, 2011, A4. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/world/africa/ 06somalia.html?_r=0. The contractors steal the excess food, around twenty percent of all food aid given .The troops don't care who they hurt as long as they get what they came for. They killed about six people while fighting over emergency food in the middle of a camp for the displaced, and looted the market just after it had been reopened. Still some areas are controlled by an Al-Shabab faction refuse to accept Western aid, holding on to the ideal of banning Western imports. Thus destroying some citizens chances for receiving aid. Present Day Affects Militia Warfare Al-Shabab lost influence in Somalia as the drought progress, due to poor citizens who they could not tax and Ethiopian attacks."Clans Battle for Control as Shabab Loses Ground." New York Times. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2011/09/07/world/africa/ 07somalia.html?ref=africa. Unfortunately for Somalian citizens this did not mean a strong central government took over, although we have seen that it might not be best if the governments military has more power. During the interim between Al-Shabab's retreat, and the elections in September of 2012, there was a significant power vacuum that warlords and militias fought to fill. Still the government cannot control the warfare that is going on in Somalia. Famine Famine has resurfaced in Somalia. In August of 2014 no rain had fallen in Gedo since the October of the previous year.Mohamed, Hamza. "Somalia famine: 'We only have days to live.'" Aljazeera, August 30, 2014. Accessed February 24, 2015. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/ 2014/08/somalia-famine-only-days-live-2014830113012260245.html. Once again crops were failing, animals were dying, and people were soon to follow. Unfortunately for Somalia, especially the southern regions the future looks bleak. La Nina events will continue to prevent rainfall, and the government is still too weak to keep the militias from fighting. Aid won't come due to the dangerous conditions, and as war and drought rages it is the innocent people, the civilians who will suffer. References Category:History